Alert archive / Missouri / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 33, NWS Paducah, KY
NWS Paducah, KY issued this tornado warning at May 31, 2026, 3:46 PM CDT for Ripley County, Missouri. It was in force for 29 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 31, 2026, 3:46 PM CDT (20:46 UTC)
- Expired
- May 31, 2026, 4:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 29 min
- Issued by
- NWS Paducah, KY
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.75 in
County Ripley County, MO
The radar
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 177 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:46 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 3:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 3 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 270 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1943 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -55 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 871 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 198 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 177 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 8.5
The text
As transmitted.
698
WFUS53 KPAH 312046
TORPAH
MOC181-312115-
/O.NEW.KPAH.TO.W.0033.260531T2046Z-260531T2115Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Paducah KY
346 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
The National Weather Service in Paducah has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Northeastern Ripley County in southeastern Missouri...
* Until 415 PM CDT.
* At 346 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Budapest, or 12 miles north of Doniphan, and is
nearly stationary.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed.
Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree
damage is likely.
* This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
northeastern Ripley County.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 3676 9085 3681 9083 3681 9065 3668 9070
TIME...MOT...LOC 2046Z 295DEG 4KT 3680 9081
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
JGG1 follow-up statement
502
WWUS53 KPAH 312101
SVSPAH
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Paducah KY
401 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
MOC181-312115-
/O.CON.KPAH.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-260531T2115Z/
Ripley MO-
401 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN RIPLEY COUNTY...
At 401 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Budapest, or 11 miles northeast of Doniphan, moving
east at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
Locations impacted include...
Budapest.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 3674 9081 3681 9076 3681 9065 3668 9070
TIME...MOT...LOC 2101Z 288DEG 9KT 3676 9071
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
JGGWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 31, 3:31 PM CDT, 15 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Low chances for showers and thunderstorms (20-30%) persist today mainly along and west of a Paducah to Mt. Vernon, IL line
- A better chance for showers and storms (50-70%) is anticipated early tomorrow morning and then again possibly in the afternoon. Some risk for severe thunderstorms (wind/hail) exists along with a small risk for flooding due to locally heavy rains.
- Drier air arrives Tuesday through much of the week, allowing for seasonable temperatures with little to no rain.
Area forecast discussion, May 31, 3:31 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Paducah KY 331 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Low chances for showers and thunderstorms (20-30%) persist today mainly along and west of a Paducah to Mt. Vernon, IL line - A better chance for showers and storms (50-70%) is anticipated early tomorrow morning and then again possibly in the afternoon. Some risk for severe thunderstorms (wind/hail) exists along with a small risk for flooding due to locally heavy rains. - Drier air arrives Tuesday through much of the week, allowing for seasonable temperatures with little to no rain. && .UPDATE... Issued at 331 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 Scattered convective cells from east central Missouri have become better organized over the last hour or two and are producing an increasing threat for damaging winds over southeast Missouri. MLCAPEs are running about 2500-3000 J/kg with strong low level lapse rates. Theta-e diffs are modeled about 20-25 and it appears we are getting periodic downbursts that are upscaling at least somewhat into more widespread wind potential despite the relatively meager shear. 0-6 km environmental shear is about 25-30 kts but as this cluster uspcales the inertia looks to be strong enough to maintain a 60-70 mph wind damage threat for another couple of hours. Sfc dewpoints in the low 70s into southwest Kentucky may maintain a threat there as well. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1251 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 A fairly sharp theta-e gradient sits northwest to southeast over the area today with dewpoints in the low 70s at Poplar Bluff and upper 50s at Owensboro. Building, but still modest west to southwest mid to lower level flow is expected to pick up as a shortwave spins to the northwest slowly increasing lower level moisture. This modest frontogenetic forcing seems to be aiding in sparking thunderstorms southwest of St. Louis that are tracking very slowly to the east. At the rate of moisture return some of this may make it into the western half of the CWA this afternoon, although the HRRR/RAP are still pretty insistent it falls apart as it moves east due to diminishing available moisture. There is enough probability they have enough to work with to keep going to continue lower end PoPs from Paducah westward. Instability is a little stronger than yesterday where moisture is available but shear is very weak. If any severe emerges this afternoon would be in the form of very brief pulse hail or localized wind. Guidance is more consistent on developing convection to our northwest late tonight and very slowly tracking it southwest. CAMs show a little bit of bowing segment/organization as west to northwest flow aloft starts to pick up through the night. With light winds overnight and modest cloud cover a strong radiation inversion looks pretty likely (with fog potential as weak moisture return continues). If storm organization can grow sufficiently though into bowing segments some wind and hail threat would be possible with this activity. The HRRR/HREF type guidance sweeps convection through in the morning overturning the airmass but the GFS throws a weak wave in the northwest flow over us in the afternoon and initiates convection on a more fresh and humid airmass with 3000 J/kg of MLCAPE and sufficient northwest flow aloft in the deeper layers for storm organization. I kind of forsee a little bit of a mix of both with maybe a little less organized line of early morning convection that leaves behind a still fairly soupy low level airmass that allows for some afternoon redevelopment. Will also be watching the NW/SE oriented boundary below northwest flow aloft for heavy/training rainfall with the highest risk of that in southeast Missouri. By Monday night strengthening high pressure to our northwest sweeps the humid airmass out and we get into a very blocky overall pattern overhead and too the west that still looks likely to produce several days of stable and dry weather with reasonable humidity and seasonable temperatures. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/... Issued at 1218 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 Convection is the primary flight concern today. A cluster of storms southwest of St. Louis is being monitored to possibly approach CGI/MVN and vicinity by late this afternoon. There are mixed signals on whether the airmass will be supportive enough by then to sustain it as it moves east, but it appears close enough to include a short Prob30 window at a few spots. A more consistent signal exists for thunderstorms overnight/early Monday morning. Activity looks for now to be relatively slow moving/back-building which may cause extended impacts at terminals. Have prevailing thunder with lower vis in tempo groups but may be too optimistic depending on how well organized the activity gets. Trailing rain and at least some visibility restriction would be likely behind this til 16-18z or so. Best chances are at CGI/MVN/PAH and west of there with lower probs at EVV/OWB and neighboring airfields. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...None. MO...None. IN...None. KY...None. && UPDATE...JGG DISCUSSION...JGG AVIATION...JGG
Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 1:53 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Paducah KY 153 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100- 107>112-114-011900- Jefferson-Wayne IL-Edwards-Wabash-Perry IL-Franklin-Hamilton-White- Jackson-Williamson-Saline-Gallatin-Union-Johnson-Pope-Hardin- Alexander-Pulaski-Massac-Gibson-Pike-Posey-Vanderburgh-Warrick- Spencer-Fulton-Hickman-Carlisle-Ballard-McCracken-Graves-Livingston- Marshall-Calloway-Crittenden-Lyon-Trigg-Caldwell-Union KY-Webster- Hopkins-Christian-Henderson-Daviess-McLean-Muhlenberg-Todd-Perry MO- Bollinger-Cape Girardeau-Wayne MO-Carter-Ripley-Butler-Stoddard- Scott-Mississippi-New Madrid- 153 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 /253 PM EDT Sun May 31 2026/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Showers and thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon mainly across parts of southeast Missouri and possibly southern Illinois. A few storms may become severe with large hail and damaging winds the main threat. More activity is expected late tonight. A few strong storms are possible very late tonight with damaging winds and large hail the primary threats. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Showers and thunderstorms will linger through much of the day Monday. A few strong to severe storms will be possible Monday with large hail and damaging winds the main threats. Locally heavy rain is also possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 31, 3:26 PM CDT, 20 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
326 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0322 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 S Lodi 37.20N 90.46W
05/31/2026 Wayne MO Law Enforcement
Large tree limbs down. Power outages 5 miles
north of Greenville.
&&
DRSLocal storm report, May 31, 3:37 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
337 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0329 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 6 NNE Glenallen 37.40N 89.99W
05/31/2026 E70 MPH Bollinger MO Trained Spotter
Power outages along County Road 320 north of
Marble Hill.
&&
DRSThe office that day
Everything else NWS Paducah, KY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Wayne | 49 min |
| May 31, 3:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry | 45 min |
| May 31, 3:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Butler, Carter, Ripley, Wayne | 40 min |
| May 31, 3:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Stoddard, Wayne | 51 min |
| May 31, 3:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Butler, Carter, Ripley, Wayne | 50 min |
| May 31, 3:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Scott | 48 min |
| May 31, 4:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Butler, Ripley, Stoddard | 39 min |
| May 31, 4:07 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | PAH | Butler, Ripley | 12 min |
| May 31, 4:11 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | PAH | Butler, Carter, Ripley | 3 hr |
| May 31, 4:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Mississippi, Scott | 44 min |
| May 31, 4:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Butler, Carter, Ripley | 36 min |
| May 31, 4:43 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | PAH | Ripley | 21 min |
| May 31, 4:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Mississippi, New Madrid | 42 min |
| May 31, 5:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Butler, Ripley | 28 min |
| May 31, 5:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | New Madrid | 27 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Missouri, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.